Sod installation cost in Vermont
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,600 – $3,500
- Per sq ft
- $1.05 – $2.10
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 1
Across Vermont, a new sod lawn costs about $1,600 to $3,500 for 1,500 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 6% above the US figure of $2,400. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median $22.23 an hour in Vermont (US: $18.82).
Vermont has one metro in our dataset, Burlington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Vermont (statewide), standard level
$2,150 to $2,900
About $1.40 to $1.80 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $950 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $2,150 | $2,900 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Vermont
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $730 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 43% |
| Labor | $860 | $1,300 | $1,750 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,600 | $2,550 | $3,500 | 100% |
Vermont metro-by-metro prices
Vermont has one metro in our dataset, Burlington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, VT | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | +1% |
Vermont against its neighbors
Vermont ranks 15 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. Vermont sits at $2,550. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 140 miles away | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | level |
| Maine | 150 miles away | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,500 | −1% |
| Massachusetts | 180 miles away | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +6% |
| Connecticut | 220 miles away | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +2% |
| Rhode Island | 220 miles away | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | level |
What landscaping and groundskeeping workers and the other trades earn in Vermont
Vermont's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.15 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $22.23 an hour, 18% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $20.01 and $23.79 an hour. About 2,700 work in the state. That is 88.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.36 an hour, which is 3% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $27.94 an hour. BLS counts 1,430 of them working in the state, 47.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($23.79 an hour) would add about $75 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.01) would take off about $110. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 303,890 jobs across Vermont (May 2025), which is 0.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $20.01 | $22.23 | $23.79 | $18.82 | 1.18 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.49 | $23.36 | $27.94 | $22.66 | 1.03 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Vermont prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,600 to $2,350
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,150 to $2,900
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,700 to $3,500
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,050 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,000 | $1,900 – $2,400 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,600 – $2,350 | $2,150 – $2,900 | $2,700 – $3,500 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,250 – $6,050 | $5,600 – $7,450 | $6,950 – $8,800 |
Why two Vermont quotes can differ
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Vermont seasons and sod lawn
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Vermont is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Burlington has 7 comfortable months (April through October), with about 38 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 13 | 82 | 38 | 7: April through October |
Other Vermont jobs that often go with sod lawn
Each project weights the trades differently, so Vermont's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, French drain is −1% and retaining wall −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | −1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,950 – $9,850 | −1% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,900 – $13,200 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,600 – $111,000 | −1% |
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Sod installation in Vermont: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Vermont?
$1,600 to $3,500 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Vermont can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Vermont is cheapest for sod lawn?
Burlington at about $2,550 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft).
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Vermont than the US average?
It is 6% more expensive: $2,550 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Vermont?
About 51% ($1,300). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.15x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Vermont?
The BLS statewide median is $22.23 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.01 to $23.79.
+Where does Vermont rank for sod lawn costs?
15th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,550 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Vermont?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,600 to $2,350 and premium work $2,700 to $3,500. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Vermont?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Vermont metros we cover, Burlington has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in Vermont
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.